Apparatus for building circular structures



E. R. STEED June 10, 1958" APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CIRCULAR STRUCTURES Filed June 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE YS Jung 10, 1958 E. R. STEED 2,837,910

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CIRCULAR STRUCTURES Filed June 32, 1955 2 S t h et 2 a o I i 38 6 UDUEEE] [JUDGE 5 ZZ- UUEIDEIIEJEJEIUU Q, HUUEIUCIEJEIIIUUL- fillzmliai DUDE] anal m lL l-L AUULIIE,

INVENTOR. Evarf R. S'feed ATTORNEYS.

Unite APPARATUS FUR BUILDING CIRCULAR STRUCTURES This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the building of masonry structures and particularly those of circular formation such as manholes, chimneys, silos and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character by which courses in a masonry structure may be laid up accurately as to form and size with uniform mortar joints.

Other objects of the invention are to provide the apparatus with an axial support which is readily positioned at its lower end and held at its upper end in plumb position by means of an adjustable tripod; to provide a base for the axial support that is adapted to be carried by the wall under construction and moved to difierent elevations as the work progresses; to provide adjustable gauge means for setting the bricks, tiles or the like in theirv proper position to form a circular structure of the desired diameter and shape; to provide the axial support with means for striking the mortar joints and wiping the mortar from the faces of the courses and to provide the axial support with a mortar spreader that is adapted for adjustment to vary the thickness of the mortar between the respective courses.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective section of a manhole under construction and showing the use of an apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, the apparatus being illustrated in perspective and one of the legs broken away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the manhole under construction with the aid of an apparatus comprising the present invention and which shows the axial support carried .and stabilized by the wall under construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a base supporting a masonry wall 2 that is of circular formation and has its upper portion drawn inwardly as at 3 to provide a manhole opening 4 of smaller size than the inner diameter of the wall 2, as in the construction of manholes and similar circular structures. The wall 2 is shown as comprising courses 5 of brick, bedded in mortar 6 which forms horizontal and vertical mortar joints 7 and 8 for securing the bricks.

The present invention contemplates an apparatus 9 to facilitate laying of the bricks to form a circular wall of desired diameter, to spread the mortar 6, and to strike the circumferential mortar joints and to smooth oif the inner faces of the bricks.

The apparatus 9 includes an axial pole or support 10 which, in Fig. l, is shown with the lower end 11 seated in a socket 12 which was inset at the time of constructing the base 1. The pole ltlmay be of sufiicient height to extend completely through and above the finished ice manhole, and its upper end is supported from the ground indicated at 13 by a tripod 14.

The tripod 14 includes a sleeve 15 slidable on the upper end of the pole 10 and which has radially extending pairs of ears 16 and 17 cooperating with ears 18 on the ends of the tripod legs 19 to form hinge joints ,20 when bolts or. similar fastening devices 21 are extended through the ears, as shown in Fig. 1. The legs 19 each includes an upper, tubular section 22 and a lower, preferably rod-like section 23 that is slidable within the tubular sections 22 to adjust the length of the legs of the tripod. Adjustment is maintained by setscrews 24 threaded through the wall of the tubular sections 22 and which have shanks 25 adapted to engage the rod-like sections 23. The rod-like sections 23 are provided with bearing plates 26 having ears 27 that are pivotally connected with yokes 28 On the ends of the rod-like sections by transverse pins 29. The bearing plates 26 may be secured to the ground by pins 30 which are passed through openings 31 in the bearing plates 26 and driven into the ground as shown in Fig. 1.

Slidably mounted on the axial support 16 is a collar 32 that is fixed in any elevated position by means of a thumbscrew or the like 33 having a shank 34 bearing against the axial support. Also slidably mounted on the axial support, and having its lower end bearing upon the collar 32, is a sleeve 35, carrying a sweep 36 of ample length to project beyond the wall of the masonry structure to be formed as shown in Fig. 2. The sweep includes an arm 37 that is secured to the lower end of the sleeve 35, as indicated at The outer end of the arm is supported in a collar 39 having a removable pin connection 40 with one end of a brace arm 41. The other end of the brace arm 41 is connected with the upper end of the sleeve 35 by a removable pin 42 for supporting the arm 37 at right angles with respect to V the axis of the support 10 and to provide for removal of the mortar hopper 43.

The hopper 43 is for containing mortar, indicated at 44, which is deposited through a slot-like throat 45 onto the brick, as later described. The hopper 43 is suspended on the arm 37 by means of a cross bar '46 having a sleeve 47 fixed thereto and provided with a bore 48 through which the rod 37 extends. The hopper is retained in its adjusted position on the arm 37 by setscrews 49. In

order to smooth the bed of mortar discharged through the slot-like throat 45, the rear wall of the hopper carries a rearwardly extending operating or troweling blade 50, as best shown in Fig. 4. a

The axial support also carries collars 51, 52 and 53 for supporting sleeves 54, 55 and 56, the collars being fixed in adjusted position on the axial support by thumbscrews 57, similar to the thumbscrew 33 previously described. Extending from the collar 54 is a tubular arm 58 having a bore 59 in which is mounted a rod 60 having a pointed end 61 against which the ends of the bricks are laid, as later described. The rod 60 is retained in adjusted position within the tubular arm by a thumbscrew 62. Extending from the sleeve 55 is a tubular arm 63 having a bore 64 containing a coil spring 65, one end of which engages against the sleeve or bottom of the bore 64 and the other end against a rod 66, which carries a brush 67 and a shoe 68 adapted to smooth off the face of the brick and strike the mortar joint respectively. The shoe 68 conforms with the width and shape to be imparted to the mortar joint and is adjustably supported with respect to the brush by means of an arm 69 which is slidable in a bracket 70 projecting from the head of the brush.

If a two-course wall is desired, the sleeve 56 is used to gauge the outer courses. In this case the sleeve 56 carries a tubular arm 71 which adjustably carries an arm 72 supporting on its outer end a tubular gooseneck bracket 73 which carries a gauge member 74 that is adapted to swing in position for indicating the position to which the outer course of brick are to be laid as shown in dotted lines Figs. 2 and 3.

Where the structure to be built is of substantial height, it may be desirable to carry the axial support from the wall under construction. This is accomplished by forming the axial support in sections 75 connected together by threaded joints or couplings 76. ,The sections 75 carry a spider-like bracket 77 having rods 78 that carry shoes 79 which bear against the inner face of the wall as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In setting'up the apparatus, the lower end of the axial support is mounted in the socket 12 and the legs of the tripod are adjusted for length to maintain the upper end of the axial support in plumb position. The bearing plates carried by the lower ends of the legs are then secured by the pins 30. The hopper is adjusted on the arm 37 so that the discharge throat 45 thereof is in a position corresponding to the radius of the wall to be constructed.

After the adjustment is made, the setscrews 49 may be tightened. Rod 60 is then adjusted within the tubular arm 58 and secured by the thumbscrews 62. The first few courses may be laid up without the use of the strike 68 and brush 67 so that the gauge rod 69 and mortar hopper may be in required lower position on the axial support. Mortar is poured into the hopper so that it runs out in sheet-like form upon the base 1 to form the mortar bed. as the hopper is revolved about the axis of the support. The first course of bricks are laid on the bed of mortar with open spaces therebetween. The bricks are positioned to form a wall of the desired radius. This is effected by placing the end of a brick against the point of the gauge rod 60, as shown in Fig. 2, the gauge rod being advanced after each brick is set. When the course is completed the hopper is raised to the position of the next course by adjusting the collar 34 on the axial shaft. The gauge rod 60 is also raised in similar manner to its desired position. Another bed of mortar is deposited over the brick with the mortar flowing into the open spaces between the bricks to form the vertical "joints.

by the troweling hopper is swung The bed of mortar is smoothed off lip St), to the desired thickness as the about its axial support. The inner be smoothed off and the bricks cleaned by hand, however, it'is desirable to use the brush 6'7 and strike 68 so that it is only necessary to swing the brush about the inner wall of the manhole at the point of the mortar joint to clean the face of the brick and strike the desired joint, as shown in Fig. 2. If the wall is to be drawn in at the top to form a smaller manhole opening,

the hopper and gauge arm are adjusted for the smaller mortar joints may thereof, may be accurately constructed. with minimum amount of time and skilled labor.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for spreading mortar and gauging the position of masonry elements in forming a circular masonry wall, said apparatus including a vertical support, means for fixing the vertical support perpendicularly within the axial center of a wall to be constructed, a first sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on said support, a first collar beneath said sleeve and detachably secured to said support to position said first sleeve in predetermined vertical position on said support, a substantially radially extending first arm secured to said first sleeve and projecting radially outwardly to be positioned over the wall, a mortar container adjustably supported by said first arm for radial movement with respect thereto and adapted to rotate therewith, said container having a substantially radially extending elon ated outlet formed in the bottom portion hereof and adapted to be spaced above a course of masonry elements to deposit mortar in a bed upon said course, the rear wall of the container being provided with a troweling blade extending rearwardly of the direction of operative movement of said container for smoothing the bed of mortar discharged through said outlet, a second sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on said'support vertically below said first sleeve, 21 second collar beneath said second sleeve and detachably secured to said support to position said second sleeve in predetermined vertical position on said support, a second substantially radially extending and radially adjustable arm secured to said second sleeve and projecting outwardly to a point such that the outer end thereof is radially inward of the outer end of said first arm, said second arm. gauging the radial position of masonry elements placed upon the smooth bed of mortar produced by said mortar container and troweling blade.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of legs having pivotal connection with an upper portion of said vertical support and having lower ends adapted to be fixed radially outward of the exterior side of the circular wall to be constructed, said legs having telescoping sections for adjusting the upper end of said vertical support for keeping the axis of rotation of said first and second arms in perpendicular position.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a third sleeve positioned vertically below said second sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on said support, a third collar beneath said third sleeve and detachably secured to said support to position said third sleeve in predetermined vertical position on said support, a third substantially radially extending arm secured to said third sleeve, said third arm slidably supporting at the outer end thereof a rod, resilient means normally urging said rod radially outward, said rod supporting on the outer end thereof a brush and a shoe member for respectively smoothing off the face of the masonry elements and striking the mortar joint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 223,372 Miner Jan. 6, 1880 1,297,082 Brown Mar. 11, 1919 1,762,740 Rains June 10, 1930 1,880,261 Larsen Oct. 4, 1932 2,314,468 Urschel Mar. 23, 1943 2,339,892 Urschel Jan. 25, 1944 

